Potential First-in-class orexin-1 receptor antagonist targets opioid and other substance use disorders
Eolas Therapeutics today announced that it has entered into a new agreement with AstraZeneca to assume full development rights to AZD4041, an investigational therapy targeting the orexin-1 receptor, for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) and other substance use disorders. Terms of the agreement are confidential.
AZD4041 is a highly selective orexin-1 receptor antagonist that was being co-developed by Eolas and AstraZeneca with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The compound targets neural circuits that regulate craving, reward, and stress - key drivers of addiction. Preclinical and early clinical data support the potential of AZD4041 as a first-in-class, non-opioid therapeutic for substance use disorders, including opioid, stimulant, and alcohol use disorders.
Under this agreement, Eolas will assume full responsibility for the program under the existing Investigational New Drug (IND) application and will advance AZD4041 into Phase II clinical trials with support from a NIDA UG3 cooperative agreement.
"We are grateful to AstraZeneca for their collaboration and confidence in our ability to lead this program forward," said Albert Man, Chief Executive Officer of Eolas Therapeutics. "Substance use disorders remain among the most urgent and under-treated public health challenges. AZD4041 demonstrated promising preclinical data on addictive behaviors and has completed Phase 1 studies. Clinically significant drug-drug interactions are not anticipated within the range of doses which Eolas will test for efficacy. This compound represents a unique opportunity to develop a non-opioid therapeutic that we believe could significantly improve outcomes for people living with opioid dependence and other addictions."
Eolas is committed to a rigorous, patient-centered development strategy to fully realize the therapeutic potential of AZD4041 across multiple indications.
About Eolas Therapeutics, Inc.
Eolas Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical stage therapeutic development company committed to treating diseases of addiction and other neurological disorders. Our lead program, is a first-in-class compound to treat opioid-use disorder and other drug addictions. It is the first therapeutic to directly address the brain circuitry of addiction rather than the drug-signaling pathway. For more information, please visit http://www.eolasthera.com
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Eolas Therapeutics Takes the Lead on Promising Treatment for Opioid Addiction and other Drug Addictions.
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Media contact: communications@eolasthera.com